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Carmen's La Hacienda Taqueria ~ Novato, California


In the quiet town of Novato, there are a few hidden gems! Novato is 30 minutes North of Sausalito and The Golden Gate Bridge. Far enough away to wonder if any of San Francisco's culinary wonder has crept up that far. It has! Lady Music and I spent the weekend up in Novato. After finding an amazing little Italian Pizza place with Neapolitan pizza, we thought that might be about it. Surprisingly, there are quite a few eating establishments in those thar hills! We spent our last day wandering the small streets of the old down town; much like you'd find in a revitalized Texas town like Bowie! A grid of antique shops, boutiques and even a great little record store!  After walking and flipping through some 70s records and plenty of recent reissues, we worked up an appetite and wandered into a cute little place called Carmen's.  Honestly, we didn't expect much (I mean seriously Mexican food in a yuppy area North of San Francisco?) but thought we could get a little something before driving back to San Jose.  This place has such a nice vibe!  It's super small, but very clean. It's arranged like a taqueria with a little counter and a big board with food options listed and photos!


The chips were super fresh! I think they made them there but they weren't greasy at all. The salsa were wonderful! Green tomatillo and standard red. Both freshly made and very tasty. Just a touch of heat. I ordered a couple pollo tacos and Lady Music got puerco in salsa verde. We loved everything. The tortillas (corn and flour) were heche a mana (made by hand) and yummy! The rice and beans were light and delicious. We opted for the healthier fare; frijoles negros, but you can get refritos. The menu touted huge burritos and tortas! I want to try them next time. Oh, the price? under $10 FOR A MEAL!  I was stunned!  We will be back!


- Mr. Music review

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